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20.

Vercingetorix, when he had returned to his men, was accused of
treason, in that he had moved his camp nearer the Romans, in that he had gone away with all the cavalry, in that he
had left so great forces without a commander, in that, on his departure, the
Romans had come at such a favorable season, and
with such dispatch; that all these circumstances could not have happened
accidentally or without design; that he preferred holding the sovereignty of
Gaul by the grant of Caesar to acquiring it
by their favor. Being accused in such a manner, he made the following reply to
these charges:-"That his moving his camp had been caused by want of forage, and
had been done even by their advice; that his approaching near the Romans had been a measure dictated by the favorable
nature of the ground, which would defend him by its natural strength; that the
service of the cavalry could not have been requisite in marshy ground, and was
useful in that place to which they had gone; that he, on his departure, had
given the supreme command to no one intentionally, lest he should be induced by
the eagerness of the multitude to hazard an engagement, to which he perceived
that all were inclined, owing to their want of energy, because they were unable
to endure fatigue any longer. That, if the Romans in
the mean time came up by chance, they [the Gauls] should feel
grateful to fortune; if invited by the information of some one they should feel
grateful to him, because they were enabled to see distinctly from the higher
ground the smallness of the number of their enemy, and despise the courage of
those who, not daring to fight, retreated disgracefully into their camp. That he
desired no power from Caesar by treachery, since he
could have it by victory, which was now assured to himself and to all the Gauls; nay, that he would even give them back the
command, if they thought that they conferred honor on him, rather than received
safety from him. That you may be assured," said he, "that I speak these words
with truth; -listen to these Roman soldiers!" He
produces some camp-followers whom he had surprised on a foraging expedition some
days before, and had tortured by famine and confinement. They being previously
instructed in what answers they should make when examined, say, "That they were
legionary soldiers, that, urged by famine and want, they had recently gone forth
from the camp, [to see] if they could find any corn or cattle in the fields;
that the whole army was distressed by a similar scarcity, nor had any one now
sufficient strength, nor could bear the labor of the work; and therefore that
the general was determined, if he made no progress in the siege, to draw off his
army in three days." "These benefits," says Vercingetorix, "you
receive from me, whom you accuse of treason-me, by whose exertions you see so
powerful and victorious an army almost destroyed by famine, without shedding one
drop of your blood; and I have taken precautions that no state shall admit
within its territories this army in its ignominious flight from this place."

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